The Upper House of Myanmar’s Parliament endorsed a draft law on nationwide referendum on constitution amendment on November 27.
The Lower House passed the draft law a week ago, according to Xinhua.
The parliament is to introduce the draft constitution amendment law before holding a nationwide referendum on whether the constitution should be changed, said Speaker of the Parliament U Shwe Mann.
He added that the referendum is slated for May 2015 and its results will not be reviewed until the next sitting of the new parliament which is selected from the general election in 2015.
The selection, thus, will retain to be held under the existing 2008 constitution without any amendment.
In a recent parliament debate over amendment to the constitution, the non-elected military MPs, who account for 25 percent of the legislative body, opposed the constitutional changes including the change of two sensitive sections, Section 436 and Section 59(f).
Section 436 prescribes that amendment to the constitution needs the approval of more than 75 percent of all parliament members, while Section 59(f) bars anyone from the presidency whose parents, spouse, legitimate offspring or spouse of offspring are foreign citizens.
Meanwhile, the National League for Democracy teamed up with the 88-Generation Students Peace and Open Society launched a two-month signature campaign nationwide in support of amendment to Section 436.
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Constitution 2008, which comprises of 15 chapters, was promulgated by the previous military government in May 2008.-VNA
The Lower House passed the draft law a week ago, according to Xinhua.
The parliament is to introduce the draft constitution amendment law before holding a nationwide referendum on whether the constitution should be changed, said Speaker of the Parliament U Shwe Mann.
He added that the referendum is slated for May 2015 and its results will not be reviewed until the next sitting of the new parliament which is selected from the general election in 2015.
The selection, thus, will retain to be held under the existing 2008 constitution without any amendment.
In a recent parliament debate over amendment to the constitution, the non-elected military MPs, who account for 25 percent of the legislative body, opposed the constitutional changes including the change of two sensitive sections, Section 436 and Section 59(f).
Section 436 prescribes that amendment to the constitution needs the approval of more than 75 percent of all parliament members, while Section 59(f) bars anyone from the presidency whose parents, spouse, legitimate offspring or spouse of offspring are foreign citizens.
Meanwhile, the National League for Democracy teamed up with the 88-Generation Students Peace and Open Society launched a two-month signature campaign nationwide in support of amendment to Section 436.
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Constitution 2008, which comprises of 15 chapters, was promulgated by the previous military government in May 2008.-VNA
